2016-10-30 Worship Videos

Chinese Choir

Chinese Sermon

English Sermon

English Ministry News and Notes 2016-10-30

• Great Thanks for Pitching In - Today, we will hold an "all church clean up" from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Your energy, effort, and presence is much appreciated. Please look out for and welcome the AYSC and Symphonic Band youth who are here to pitch in too. Learn their names and include them!
• We wondered recently: "What if CCUMC made a positive difference in the Chinatown community and was seen as an active partner for good?" And God responded with an invite to "baby steps": We are invited to pitch in to "Pick It Up Chinatown", a new monthly community venture to clean up and beautify Chinatown. Nov. 13th, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Please sign up today!
• Celebrate Thanksgiving, CCUMC Style - we will gather for parallel worship on Nov. 20th at 9:30 a.m. followed by a festive fellowship potluck luncheon.
• Don’t Forget: We “fall” back next Sunday, Nov. 6th! Adjust your clocks! We will also welcome into membership Kenneth Kwan from the CM. Please gather in the annex to sing our welcome song, “Jesus Loves Me.”
• Can Christians Celebrate Halloween? This question comes up every year. The United Methodist Church doesn't have an official statement or position regarding Halloween. You are free to make your own decisions about participating. Here's food for thought: http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/7792/halloween-and-christian-faith

"We Have Gifts..."

Recently, Pastor Meina and I pulled out the Nominations Report from 2015, reviewed it, noted items for follow up, and placed the whole list under prayer. Reviewing the list is always accompanied by a sense of enormous gratitude and appreciation for the amazing and faithful service of so many, and for God’s provision.

As a refresher, the Nominations Report is a roster of all the different ministry areas, leadership roles, and disciples who have said “Yes!” to serving and leading in a given year. (Please do note: It is not a comprehensive list of all the many ways that many people serve. It doesn’t list our hospitality sharers, for example, or our scripture readers, soundboard techs, or Messenger editor. Please know, this does not in any way discount or overlook that service!) Each year, this report is presented at our annual “business” meeting, otherwise known as Charge Conference, and voted on.

Each year, as “Nominations” is underway, I am reminded again of how the apostle Paul envisioned the church – as Christ’s body, a body with many members/parts, each member uniquely gifted and graced, each gift and grace meant to build and strengthen the whole. There are lots of scriptures in which this image is named, developed, and affirmed (Romans 12:4-8, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, Colossians 2, to name the “big” ones.) In Christ’s body, there is no one too young or too old to participate. In Christ’s body, there is no one too dumb or too smart to contribute. In Christ’s body, there is no one more able or less able to make a difference. Your gender, looks, IQ, educational background, housing status, past failings...nothing disqualifies you from being a valued, important, necessary part to the well-being and wholeness of the Body. We all have something to give, and we all count. In fact, we’re all needed.

So I invite you to set aside some time to pray in the next weeks, asking God to show you how you are uniquely called to participate, contribute, and make a difference in this community...and beyond in the coming year.

• How might you step up?
• How might you try on a ministry or an act of service in order to grow and listen to God?
• How might you seek out intentional partners and mentoring in order to strengthen and sharpen a gift you sense in yourself or someone else?
• How might you say “yes” to something in order to practice relying on God instead of yourself?
• How might you open yourself up to being used by God to enable what only you can?

May you sit with these questions and allow God’s Spirit of Life and Transformation to move. And may we, day by day, move into the fullness that we’ve been called.

Peace,

Pastor Emily

2016-10-23 Worship Videos

Chinese Choir

Chinese Sermon

English Sermon

English Ministry News and Notes 2016-10-23

• Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow - We give great thanks for all that transpired at the 7th annual Kumi Benefit Dinner and the many, many hands and hearts that made the whole thing possible. Let's keep praying for our partners!
• Let's Do This Together - The next all church clean up will be held on Sunday, Oct. 30th, following worship (from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.) This is an all hands on deck occasion to scrub down the kitchen, clean out closets, move old items, and generally spruce everything up. Please sign up today!
• We wondered recently: "What if CCUMC made a positive difference in the Chinatown community and was seen as an active partner for good?" And God responded with an invite to "baby steps": We are invited to pitch in to "Pick It Up Chinatown", a new monthly community venture to clean up and beautify Chinatown. Nov. 13th, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Please sign up today!

How Do I Grow in My Christian Faith?

Every Christian is called to grow. Some people grow faster and others grow slower, but it is an ongoing process which never ends in this life. The key to becoming more mature in your faith is by consistently persevering in spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading/study, prayer, fellowship, service, obedience and witnessing. Doing these things will not save you, but bearing these fruits demonstrates your salvation.

READ AND STUDY THE BIBLE - Since the Bible is the Word of God, you must read, study, apply, and obey it. Doing so enables God to transform you. All you need to learn about Jesus and living the Christian life is found in the Bible. If you are new to the Bible, consider reading the gospel of John first. Ask God to help you apply what you have learned. If you don't have a Bible, try reading it free online at a website such as Bible Gateway. As you frequently stay in God's Word, the result will be spiritual growth.

DEVOTE YOURSELF TO PRAYER - When Jesus lived on the earth, prayer was a vital ministry. Actually, Jesus continues to intercede for the believer today. The Holy Spirit also intercedes for us according to God's will. Since prayer is important to Jesus and The Holy Spirit, it should be for us as well. You should not only pray for yourself, but also for others including your enemies. Prayer should also involve praising Jesus for who He is and being thankful for all the great things He has done. We should also confess the ways we’ve missed the mark and ask for forgiveness and how to move forward. A healthy prayer life is essential to spiritual growth.

WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP AND SERVICE - It is critical to attend a healthy church. Church is about honoring and worshipping God and is meant for disciples to gather. It is important to have Biblical fellowship because it edifies the church and the Christians. Fellowship causes spiritual growth because Christ is the subject and source. It should include encouraging and praying for one another. You should also serve God and His people in the same way that Jesus came to Earth to serve us.

TELL OTHERS ABOUT JESUS - A faithful disciple will be obedient to the Word of God and should feel privileged to share the good news of the gospel and fulfill the great commission. Our motivation should be to glorify God and to see people come to faith in Jesus Christ. The gospel message has the power to heal and transform people. When you see lives changed by God, it encourages you and causes spiritual growth. Before sharing the gospel, pray for the Holy Spirit to give you boldness, truth, power, and love. You are called to be faithful, not successful because God does the transforming. Some people may not see the gospel as good news, but Jesus Himself got mocked, made fun of, spit upon and persecuted because He stood for truth.

MOVING FORWARD - If God has saved you and you devote your life to these spiritual disciplines, you will surely become more like Christ and stronger in your faith.

What’s YOUR next step to grow?

From www.washedred.com

2016-10-16 Worship Videos

Chinese Choir

Chinese Sermon

English Sermon

English Ministry News and Notes 2016-10-16

• We Warmly Welcome Sister Marilyn and Pastor Joseph Chan! The Chan's are our covenant partners in mission ministry serving in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Pastor Joseph retired from GBGM assignment 2 years ago though remains active in ministry while Marilyn continues as the Cambodian Methodist Women's Coordinator as a GBGM missionary. Please introduce yourselves to the Chan's and welcome them today!
• You're Prayers Are Invited: The 7th Annual Kumi Dinner will be held this Friday, Oct. 21st, at 6:00 p.m. Please remember this gathering in God's light as final preparations are made.
• Let's Do This Together - The next all church clean up will be held on Sunday, Oct. 30th, following worship (from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.) This is an all hands on deck occasion to scrub down the kitchen, clean out closets, move old items, and generally spruce everything up. Please sign up today!
• UMCOR at Work - We lift up and remember the United Methodist Committee on Relief as they respond to the damage of Hurricane Matthew particularly in Haiti by providing emergency supplies, food, health kits, and other assistance. You can be a part of the recovery by visiting www.umcor.org and clicking on donate!
• It's Not Too Late! Join in the exciting series "From Membership to Discipleship" happening each Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

Women’s Desk Ministry Newsletter, Cambodia

Women’s Desk Ministry focuses on the improvement of women and children. We would like to see them grow in God and improve in their knowledge and skills. We believe that women are important for the development of the society. According to the Cambodian history, many adults have suffered from civil war. Cambodia lost many human resources during Khmer Rouge regimes. Survivors continue to experience painful stories. Some Cambodian adults experienced mental health issues, lost of confidence, low esteem, self-pity, and depressed. Many women are fearful of sharing and speaking. Through the Women’s Desk Ministry, many women have gained back their identity as the daughter of God, and a follower of Jesus who saved, forgave, restored and healed them. This is the time that the Lord wants us to heal these people. Praise the Lord ! Their lives have been transformed. Women’s Desk Ministry and Cambodian Methodist Women Committees work and collaborate to train Cambodian women to become good leaders. Through the fellowship and training, women understand more about their rights and how to protect themselves and help another women in the communities from any forms of violence. Women start to teach and share, and they get the knowledge through home visit and prayer with other women. We give thanks to our Lord, our Father, for His kindness and love. Thanks to all donors for keeping us in their prayers and their supports. We would like to thank all the UMCs in the US and all UMW for supporting us so that this program can continue.

In 2010, a group of 4 volunteers in mission from Glenn Memorial UMC, Atlanta, GA, came to visit the Women’s Desk Ministry. Mrs. Marilyn Chan, the Women’s Desk Ministry’s coordinator, shared with the group about the challenges in Cambodia, especially related to the young generation’s education issue. Many poor families can’t afford to send their children to school or to support them to pursue their further education. And, some families would rather send their boys to school instead of girls due to the scarcity of their financial resources. Many students also drop out of school because they want to help their parents to earn for living.

Many children are living in poverty and suffer from poor health condition. A lot of teenagers choose to become migrant workers in Thailand, Korea, or Malaysia to earn for their living. Among them, there are teenagers who have become victims of human trafficking. What makes it worse is that there are also many children who fall into child trafficking, mostly girls.
We would like to give thanks for the passions and the initiatives of our generous partners and the Glenn Memorial UMC VIM team who started to support some female students. That made it possible for them to go to university through the scholarship program of Women’s Desk Ministry.

In 2016, through Glenn Memorial UMC, we supported 32 students including 4 primary school students, 9 elementary students, 7 high school students, 10 university students, 1 master degree student, and 1 for a short course study.

Here is a story of how we build up hope in a life of a vulnerable woman. Srey Oun, who lost her two eyes due to the acid attack, is struggling to raise her two daughters and one niece. She got the support from Glenn Memorial scholarship fund. Supporting her family by making hand craft business, Srey Oun is very grateful for the program that gives a chance for her daughters and niece to continue their study and also for Women Desk for giving the fund for her business.

2016-10-9 Worship Videos

Chinese Choir

Chinese Sermon

English Sermon

English Ministry News and Notes 2016-10-9

• Great Thanks to all who pitched in for World Communion Sunday worship and picnic! Praise God for the beautiful weather and the wonderful turn-out.
• We Welcome Pastor Joseph & Marilyn Chan Next Sunday, 10.16 – We look forward to hearing about what God is doing in Cambodia with and through the Chan's, missionaries with whom we share a covenant partnership.
• 7th Annual Kumi Benefit Dinner, Oct. 21st - It's not too late to be a part of an inspiring, hope-filled evening all to sustain Kumi Christian Visionary School. Please connect with Jane or Arlene! Please get your Silent Auction items to Donna Chan Chu ASAP!
• Are You Practicing Hospitality? - 1 Peter 4: 9 says, “Be Hospitable without complaint.” God commands each one of us to endeavor to share hospitality to strangers as well as to our brothers and sisters. This is not just an encouragement for you to sign up to host refreshments after worship service, but an invitation to you to be welcoming to those who come to enter God’s House.

Singular Is Out, Plural Is In, www.baptistdigest.com

Amelia Earhart made flight history when she flew solo in 1932 from Newfoundland across the Atlantic. We need determined individuals to pave the way forward. However, lest we forget, (and not to minimize Amelia’s feat) it took hundreds of years of trial and error, thousands of inventors who devoted their talents and skills to enable humans to be airborne, a number of investors, engineers, and flight controllers who built and guided the plane she flew. That’s a team the size of a Kansas town. Solo doesn’t come close to describe the efforts it took to fly solo. Plural is more like it.

In Christianity rugged individualism (this dogged determinism to do it my way, without help) is no friend of spiritual formation. In shaping our character, in walking with the Master no person is an island. Doing the Christian life solo is not an option. Spiritual formation beckons us to do life in community.

When it comes to our spiritual growth many of us are lonely. We know the depth of Paul Simon’s words in I Am a Rock: “Hiding in my room, safe within my womb, I touch no one and no one touches me.” The renovation of our soul happens best when we touch one another in groups where belonging and community prevail. Doing life together is spiritual formation’s bread and butter.

Africans have proverbs about the way the village raises its children. It also takes a village to raise a follower of Christ (Parents are primary, but grandparents, Sunday school teachers, aunts and uncles, pastors and youth leaders, etc... play a role). Spiritual formation tolerates no spirit of independence.

Shaping lives in the likeness of Christ is a multidirectional activity: Let us spur one another on to love and good works and thus to grow in Christ, enjoins the writer of Hebrews (10:24-25). When Peter commands “grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ our Savior” he uses the plural form of the verb to grow. The idea that spiritual formation happens best in groups is biblical and a way of life in church history.

Our God, who is Trinity, calls us and shapes our lives to become conformed to the image of his Son. This formation is done as the Holy Spirit acts in us as his individual and collective temple. Our Trinitarian God transforms us into his likeness individually (but never as separated from a community of believers). I am one member in the body of Christ. Most of the instructions for Christian living in Paul’s letters address groups. You is hardly ever singular.

Baby Boomers are attracted more by individualism than by plurality. The Marlboro Man fascinates us; that lonely figure who rides into the sunset with his cigarette as his only friend. We are attracted to the John Waynes, the Clint Eastwoods, the Colombos, and the Dirty Harrys of the cinema who personify rugged individualism. Trendle’s Lone Ranger attracts us with his mysterious private existence. This man whose name nobody knows, and who never takes his mask off, makes us wonder: “Who was that masked man?”, only to be told, “Why, he’s the Lone Ranger!” We build walls, “fortresses deep and mighty that none may penetrate” ... “I am a rock, I am an island”, we sing with our lives. Individualism hinders the spiritual formation in the church. A new day has dawned and by God’s grace younger generations know spiritual formation is a community affair.

We spend energy to hire the best preachers money can afford, we develop the best programs, we stage the greatest music for worship, we house these in the best brick and mortar dollars can buy, and not much of it has had a sustained record of success in changing our character or the character of the church or of society! Meanwhile, in the chair next to us, there is someone wondering: Where do I belong, how do I become Christ-like in my family, at work, and at church, and how do we do life together? How will we respond?

Reflection: What draws you into community? What hinders you?

2016-10-2 Worship Videos

World Communion Picnic Sermon